The present invention relates to a new and improved food seasoning apparatus and methods and more particularly, the invention relates to a device for seasoning internally a meat body and the like by infusing the residual flavor from herbs or aromatics and or seasonings into the body during cooking. The device of the invention is particularly adaptable to shoulder, turkeys, ham, roasts, fish and chickens, and large body of meat in which it is desirable to infuse flavor so that the resulting body when ready for consumption is desirably treated with the flavor from herbs, aromatics, etc. and is more aptly cooked as a result of the heat conducted into the body of meat by the device.
Conventionally, seasonings, tenderizers and preservatives and similar additives in granular or powdered form are sprinkled over food, such as meat, turkey and chicken, a large body of meat or fluid substances are used, but the substances do not penetrate the food body sufficiently to produce a desired uniform effect throughout the consumable body. Methods such as marinating the meat in a solution have proven to be time consuming with limited penetration of the marinade into the body of meat. Moreover the consumable body is sometimes pierced with a knife and then herbs, aromatics and or other seasonings are placed into the body, these methods leave much to be desired in the results obtained and it has been found that flavoring from herbs and aromatics can be infused during cooking.
Various prior art devices and methods are known of interest cursorily to the present invention and include U.S. patents as follows:
Food seasoning devices are known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,178,660 A. A. Oleny, et al. and 5,507,221 Lagares-Corominas shows an apparatus for distributing additives into a body of meat in which the additive is injected into the body of meat prior to cooking the meat. Furthermore the injection process employs an elongated piston to force the additives out of the device""s distributing end located at the tapered end the tubular shaped apparatus. Like much of the prior art Oleny, et al and Lagares-Corominas forcibly inject the meat with an additive prior to cooking, interrupting cooking, or after the meat is cooked. The present invention remains in the meat while cooking. Furthermore, excessive pressure is required to force the additive down the tube into the meat. These problems are overcome by the specific structure of the apparatus of the present invention when operated according to the method of the present invention.
The references to J. L. Risco (2,652,765) and E. T. Pedranti, et al. (2,602,391) show flavoring devices that appear to be pressurized improvements over older devices. The natural cooking process is exploited by the present invention: as the meat cooks, its internal fluids expand initially into voids within the interior of the meat before they (internal fluids) expand (while cooking) to breech the outer-surface of the meat. Consequently, prolonged cooking of a body of meat would cause the body of meat to loose moisture through its outer-surface; hence the term xe2x80x9cdryxe2x80x9d is commonly associated with overcooked meat. Unlike much of the prior art, the present invention is open at the exposed end being structured to allow the fluids from the cooking meat to expand into the cylinder (via the perforations in the walls of the cylinder) wherein the flavoring constituents are held. As internal fluids expand (while cooking) to breech the outer-surface of the meat the fluids in the cylinder are drawn from the cylinder outwardly into the meat toward the meat""s outer-surface. Moreover, the present invention is laterally split open to expose the hollow interior for loading aromatics, etc. and for cleaning. Injecting devices for a different purpose are shown in U.S. Patents to Davis (U.S. Pat. No. 2,161,305), SundhoJm (U.S. Pat. No. 3,286,881), and Moline (U.S. Pat. No. 3,111,222). Davis shows a device for injecting and compacting material into openings in concrete, brick, stone or other masonry, drawing material from a reservoir by means of a tamping rod into a fissure or opening. No means for creating the fissure or opening, however, are apparent: from the device of Davis. SundhoJm and Moline both show dispensing apparatus for applying grease, or the like, using a plunger assembly and nozzle. None of these three patents, however, provides means for penetrating into the interior of meat and none could be expected to properly dispense seasoning materials within the interior of a meat product.
Other patents showing the state of the prior art are the following: U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,188,976xe2x80x94May 31, 1938xe2x80x94Larkin 2,384,429xe2x80x94Sep. 11, 1945xe2x80x94Ball, 5,507,221xe2x80x94Apr., 16 1996xe2x80x94Lagares-Corominas.
Problems encountered in properly seasoning meat for cooking are overcome in the present invention by insuring that seasoning is distributed within the interior of the meat efficiently while cooking without leaving the seasoning constituents within the meat.
None of these patents disclose all of the specific details of the present invention in such a way as to bear upon the patentability of the claims of the invention.
The embodiment of the apparatus involves opening the devise longitudinally and placing into the opened devise herbs, aromatics and or desired seasonings. The devise is then to be closed in a manner in which the contents are retained inside the devise. The closed end of the devise is contoured as to accommodate it being inserted in a piercing manner or strategically placed into a body of meat. The opposite end is open to allow the flow of heat, and or liquid into and out of the device. The closed end is inserted or strategically placed into the body of meat while the open end is not fully inserted into the body of meat as to be left exposed at or above the meat""s surface (at the side or the end). The meat is then cooked. While cooking, the fluids within the body of meat and or fluids outside of the body of meat (with access to the devices exposed open end) mingle with the contents of the device and flow back into the meat producing the desired seasoning or process. After cooking the device is withdrawn from the consumable body by pulling on the handle at the exposed end of the device until the entire device is free.
The invention thus relates to a basting device for consumable bodies and serving to distribute flavor into meat or similar consumable bodies during the normal cooking process for purposes of augmenting the taste, cooking, and processing the body for consumption.
An object and advantage of the present invention is to provide a new and improved method, device, and apparatus which can be readily used to introduce a desirable flavoring, tenderizing or preservative compound or fluid into a food, meat, or other consumable body, whether fish or fowl.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device having a hollow probe or tube through which intended amounts and in which the distribution can be selected so that the seasonings are added to a portion of the consumable body.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of the type indicated in which allows the user to regulate the amount and type of flavor that will be discharged upon the operation of the device according to the invention.
Another and still additional object of the invention is to provide a device that can be readily disassembled sufficiently and easily for cleaning, washing, and that can then be reassembled quickly and easily for use prior to or during any stages of cooking of the consumable body.
Other objects of the invention are to provide a Marinating Stick which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and sell and wherein there is provided a novel and improved construction and arrangement of parts.